MEC team

Invitation to submit Expression of Interest (EoI) for MEC Initiative of ‘Capacity Development for Quality Teaching-Learning in Multilingual Contexts’

MEC will implement an initiative of “Capacity Development to Improve Teaching/ Learning in Multilingual Education Contexts’. This will involve a needs analysis with prospective partners followed by a 3 year programme of sequenced mentoring and support according to individual needs. There will also be opportunities for the participating partners to collaborate on research and advocacy in relation to ‘multilingual education’ and ‘effective education for multilingual contexts.

The Strategic Facilitation Fund (SFF) is designed as a flexible fund to support a broad base of stakeholders in non-government education systems to access technical assistance and engage in evidence based policy dialogue, to trial innovative approaches and to explore opportunities for sustainable programs, in alignment with MEC priority areas. Funding is designed to support specific activities, not long-term education programs.

MEC strategy 2016-2020, and this funding opportunity, will focus on support to complementary (ethnic and monastic) basic education systems. Three areas are prioritized and applicants are requested to specify which area they intend to apply to between: 1. Policy engagement for Education Reform, 2.Ethnic Education networking and collaboration, and 3.Education driven Innovation.

MEC team conducted an internal workshop in Bagan from 21-22 June 2017. Revised partnership management guidelines, policy engagement strategy, and MERL framework were shared and presented with all staff.

Throughout the workshop, team members had a sound understanding of the purpose, priorities, and interventions of the ethnic and monastic education partners towards education systems strengthening. The team identified priority areas of technical support for partners working on the complementary education systems in order to deliver strategic support. At the end of the workshop, roles and functions of the MEC team are reexamined in contributing towards education systems strengthening.

MEC invited all current (12) partners to participate in the 4th and Final MEC Reflection and Learning Workshop, with the aim of learning from the three years collaboration and celebrate successes. The workshop was conducted from 15 to 16 May at Inya Lake Hotel in Yangon.

Throughout the 2-day workshop, MEC partners contributed comments to the last version of the Final Evaluation before its finalization. Partners had better knowledge of each other’s successes and each partner presented the sustainability plan of their project to prove that they are ready to conclude MEC funded projects. This workshop concludes the first phase of MEC which aimed at working with Civil Society organizations before the beginning of a new phase that will be strengthening ethnic and monastic education systems, with a sustainability increased focus on policy engagement and coherence between education systems.

Ms. Jay from AusAID, one of the key donors of MEC, closed the event. She said, “We strongly believe that education is the key to unlock the potential of individuals and of society as a whole. It is the means to realize the potential of all boys and girls, men and women, regardless of where they live. As a more coherent and inclusive education system evolves, there will be opportunities for valuable learning from ethnic systems, in particular, multilingual education and community-based school management. We believe this will help strengthen education policy and provision as a whole. ”

MEC expresses its appreciation, congratulations, and thanks to all the partners for the last three years of collaboration and achievement. The most important take away from this partnership is that there is no unique solution, methodology or practice that makes a project a success, but it is a combination of all of them. It includes the professionalism, the passion and the energy of everyone.

Myanmar Education Consortium (MEC) funded the Second Seminar on Shan National Education Policy and Planning organized by the Centre for Rural Education & Development (CRED) as a part of MEC Strategic Facilitation Fund (SFF).

This seminar provided a space for participants to discuss and share experiences as well as develop consensus on how to address barriers to education in Shan State from 25 to 26 February 2017.

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During the two-day seminar, the discussions and issues raised from the previous seminar conducted in December 2016 were revised, vision, mission, and objectives for the Shan National Education Strategic Planning were established and, suggestions and proposals to organize a Shan National Education Committee (SNEC) representing all education groups in Shan State were gathered.

All of the participants agreed that CRED will take the initiative and role of facilitating more meetings, conferences and advocacy activities on the topic. Professor Sai Naw Khay said, “We need a governing body to present our Shan education activities.”

The members of SNEC will be nominated by each organization in 2017. A sub-committee, Curriculum Development Committee, under SNEC will be appointed one year after the formation of SNEC. Moreover, a draft Shan National Education Policy will be developed in that timeframe. The various Shan curricula will be integrated and utilized through grade 11 within 5 years as the long term activity.

Ven. Dr. Khammai Dhammasami said, “Motivation and patience for the long journey towards implementing the Shan Education Program will be needed in the long run.”